Sheet-feeding machine



- Nav.' 3,1925. 1,560,470

R. HITCHCOCK SHEET FEEDING MACHINE Reuben Hf rc/cock Nav. 3, 1925. 1,560,470

` R. HITCHCOQK SHEET FEEDING MACHINE' rileva may 23, 192s 2 Sheets-sheet 2 UL um Patented Nov. 3, 1.925.

yum'rnn stares FAT ENT REUBEN HITCHCOCK, OF CLEVELAND, O'I-IIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLEVELAND FOLDING' MACHINE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F OHIO.

SHEET-FEEDING MACHINE.

Application filed May 2B, 1925. Serial Nov 32,329.

fo all 107mm t may concer/n.'

Be it known that I, RnUBnN HITCHCOCK, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Feeding Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in sheet feeding machines, and more particularly, to the type of paper feeding machines known as the pile feeder, wherein the sheets are` stacked upon an intermittently elevated supporting table and successively presented to the feeding device, such as a rotary suction head.

The object of my invention is better to adapt a sheet feeding machine of this type for use with sheets of different sizes; malrnO the forward portion of the supporting taldle normally accessible to the operative in loading and positioning the smaller sheets, while providing means for accommodating sheets of maximum size.

In order to accomplish the objects of my invention, the pile feeder, preferably operated by means of worm gears and elevating chains, synchronously rotated by any suitable means, is constructed of rearwardly open type to permit the ready access of the operative, so that he may reach the forward edge of the supporting table while placing and adjusting sheets of moderate size. The supporting table preferably is constructed with substantial lateral frames carried directly by the elevating chains; saidframes being adapted to accommodate one or more extension members for supporting'the larger sizes of sheets. Moreover, owing to the excessive neights of paper which a pile feeder preferably must accommodate.y I provide movable cross-bracing means for rearwardly staying the open frame of the machine.

The details of a construction en'ihodying in improvements may best be explained by ina-hing reference to accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of a. sheet feed,v ing mechanism incorporating my improvements and equipped to, handle the largest sizes of sheets. v j

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on line Fig. 3 is arear view f the sheet feeding mechanism.

Fig. l is a fragmentary plan view. partially broken away, illustrating details of the adjustable supporting table.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 5-5, Fig. ll.

Fig. 6 is a similar view on line G-6, Fig. 1l, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view illustrating the locking means for the bracing member'.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings, I have employed the same character of reference to indicate similar parts.

Figs. l and 2 are readily recognizable as substantial illustrations of the essential features of an approved type of pile feeder wherein the adjustable supporting table is positioned to be elevated intermittently toward the feeding level, from which a rotary suction head successively advances the sheets upon a roller feed table `shown at the left partially broken away. The mechanism for intermittently operating the supporting table may be of approved type but since it forms no part of my present improvement, the details thereof do not require illustration or description herein. It will be sufficient to say that the worm gears ai, `a are driven by a common shaft t, terminally mounting reversely cut worms b', which engage said gears. These gears are mounted .upon and rotate the longitudinal shafts c carrying the sprocket wheels c c', over which the elevated lchains d, CZ extend for concurrent actuation. These chains are attached adjacent to the corners of an angle bar frame c, e, adapted to receive the sectional boards f, f and f, which separately or together' constitute the supporting surface of the feed table.

For sheets of ordinary size the supporting board f alone is adjusted within the frame e and' access is readily obtained thereto even toits forward edge, merely by lifting the bracing bar g, which is pivoted upon one ofthe rear pillars g and is adapted to hook over a stud g3 upon the other pillar g, said pill-ars rearwardly supporting the bearings of the shafts c, 0 which carry the weight of the paper.

This brace is of considerable importance under normal working conditions, since a fully loaded supporting table may carry sheets aggregating a tonv in weight, yet, as previously indicated, it is extremely" desirable to permit the access of the operative to the forward edge of the supporting table, as when small sheets must be disposed and properly positioned thereon. In order to prevent the bracing member from accident-ally fall-ing from its elevated position, Vit 1s provided with a spring actuated detent h, while a stop It prevents said member from swinging too far beyond an outwardly 1nclined position when said member is raised as shown in Fig. 8.

Tfhe adjustable lsection f of the supporting table is inserted between the angle bars e when sheets yof `moderate sizeare to be handled by the sheet feeding mechanism, the same being .provided with clips frwhich are adapted to take beneath the forwardsection f and preserve the .,alinement of the members. `^Si1nila rly,a doubleclip f* is provided rearwardly ofthe member fk and eupon each side thereof, as shown .inFigs aand 6, whereby theangle yframeis outwardly engaged and the extensions of the angle bars f5, provided beneath the section f are engaged-and braced for suppontinguthe outer member of the supporting table when sheets of the largest size .are handled.

The feeding levelv of y.the sheet feeding mechanism ismaintained substantially at the height kof apron z and rollers a" of the .sheet deliverytable (Figx), which rollers are .driven bythe under-running belt extending over thedrum 3.

Any suitable feeding.member-.may be em- .ployed, but preferably a pneumatic suction head. j, continuously rotatcdin .clockwise .directionl byshaft j, is employed for successively advancing tle sheets .toward the left. Details of this `sheet feedingmember do not require explanation --but I.they maycorrespond to .those set,forth by the idisclosure in my co.-pend;ingapplicatiom Serial No. .755,791 December 13, 19%.

lAsthe 4sheets lareffed fronrtheforward Aedge ofthe pile, supported byvfone or more of the-feed tablefsectionsf,fand 7, according to the length thereof,v thetable is -cleifated by rotating .the shaft L and itsassociatedgears .and-shafts c, c inanysuit` able manner, so thattheflevel ,is maintained, -approximatingthe lower face of the rotary suction head jywherebyf the paper is fed sheetby sllsettoward the left :upon the de livery Vtra-ble .l and to..any associated printing v91' felding -ineehansm- `As the pile -`becomes nearly ieXhfiursted,` the i.ope ration of the 4sheet feeding k.mecha-.Iiism is temporarily checked, the @suppeift-in'gt-tablev is n lowered .to ,nodateanother-pile. ef' :sheets and.l the vbracing bar g is elevated sl u .ion'nby'dot- .ted nes-1n Erg.; to .permitfthe ffreezaccess rward portion of neeessarygnl Order VVreposeanother...pile of sheet-s .mg .said frame in position to be fed by the rotary suction head.

The bracing bar maintains the rearward alinement of the shafts and the positioning of their supporting pillars when in its lowercdrelation, while freeing the otherwise open frame for the insertion or removal of the sections of the supporting table and the renewal of the paper pile thereon. These sections are interlocked and maintained in alinement by the chain-supported angle frame, so that excessive `weights archanydled with convenienceand ease, yeveny when the` largest ysize 4sheets are fed by `the 1na chine.

Automatic .means such as-.shown in Tufts, Ser. No. :22659, for example, may be used to maintain the feedinglevel .of the paper.

Having now described .-mechanism` vembodying my invention .and its princi-pal advrantages vand mode .of operation, I claim as new and .desire to secu-re .by Letters Patent,

`the following: v

l. In a sheet feeding maclnne `of the class described, the combination with ya sheet-l supporting table,

of elevatingv mechanism, laterally applied thereto1 including lateral `shafts lsupported in a rearwardly open frame, and crosssbracin-g means removably `positioned transversellyof the frame adapted to `preserve they alinement of Vthe shafts,

substantially asset forth.

2. In asheet feeding machine lof the class described, the combination `witlra rectangular supporting frame., of means for elevatto Vthe feeding level fof the machine and .a plurality of in-sertable sections adapted to abe placed upon said supporting frame for :accommodating said `sheets of `different sizes,

substantially as set forth.

3. Ina sheet feeding machine of the class described, the combination lwith a sheet-supporti-ng table, comprising a frameand a pluralityof insertable supporting sections, of Vlaterally positioned elevating means applied to said frame, including lateral shafts and driving mechanism therefor; ysaid shafts beyingfmounted yin ali'earwardl7 open frame, whereby accesslto the forward portion of the supporting table may ireadily be ob ,tained by the operative, fsubstantially as set forth.

4. In .a .sheet feeding machine of. the class described, the combination with `afrecta'ngular supporting frame, of elevating means therefor, and a plurality of supporting .members Vadapted separately to be inserted in-saidffraine, and interlocking means provided 'upon said members for. insuring their alinenient, substantially as set1fo'ntl1.

Iii-.testimonywhereof I'd'o now aiiix'fm'y signature.

'.'nnUBEN .nifronooon {as} 

